Stephens County Courthouse

Rising four stories above the public square in Breckenridge, Texas, this limestone courthouse was designed in 1925 by Abilene architect David S. Castle and completed in 1926. Its south facade features ten engaged Corinthian columns whose capitals carry eagles and lone stars, beneath a frieze reading "Justice, Equity and Peace Administered Alike to All People." Inside are terrazzo floors, marble wainscots, a two-story district courtroom and a jail on the fourth floor. The building was financed by bonds after the 1920s oil boom swelled the town's population from about 1,500 to 30,000. It replaced an 1883 sandstone courthouse, whose entry portal remains on the grounds as a memorial. Construction cost over $410,000, and the debt was not paid off until 1962. The courthouse has served as the seat of county government for roughly seven decades and is recognized as a good local example of Classical Revival design, with limited alterations such as aluminum windows and an accessibility ramp.